SALT LAKE CITY — During the day, Natascha Deininger walks around Salt Lake City, looking for those living there during the night.

“They’re kind of falling through the cracks,” Deininger said.

Throughout the winter months, the city’s homeless youth are often times left out in the cold. Deininger hopes to make the nights a little easier, as part of Volunteers of America’s youth outreach program.

“They’ll get all the blankets they can,” Deininger said. “They’ll get hand warmers, foot warmers and just hope they’ll make it through the night.”

While the VOA has a daytime shelter to offer food, clothing and services, they don’t have a place for homeless youth to stay at night.

It’s a need they’re planning to fill with the construction of a $6 million project.

“We know that there needs to be a place for youth, both to be safe, but more importantly…

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“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfection. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make yourself a happier and more productive person.” Dr. David M. Burns

In this post I’m going to address perfectionism as another barrier… or shall we say Energy Sucker to motivation, and give you a Liberation Plan to overcome this pernicious oppressor.

When you hear the word “perfectionism” what do you think? There are two different pictures that come to my mind.

One is of people taking their time and doing quality work. Whether it’s writing a novel, cleaning a bathroom, or building a shed, they always do their best.

Like this:

Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. Scott Adams

Sunday night we had a double birthday party for my son and daughter-in-law. The house was packed with family and though it was a happy gathering, chaos abounded.

Amidst the large crowd, we had three dogs in attendance, one of which was our puppy, Mr. Bingley. Bingley was in heaven, chasing the children and being the center of attention. Kids and puppies are a perfect combination.

However, several times during the evening, the little ones had to be reminded to be “soft” with our tiny 4-pound bundle of fur. It was interesting to observe that when reminded, the kids knew exactly how to adjust their behavior:

Any night of the week we can turn the TV on and hear heart-breaking stories of tragedy and loss. This past week was no exception with the devastating tornado that ripped through Oklahoma.

No words can express the horror of such an event; deep feelings of compassion and sympathy go out to all who have suffered.

As that tragedy unfolded, we saw helpers in action and listened to the sufferer’s talk about their loss while tears welled up in their eyes. In their grief they expressed gratitude to all who had eased their burdens, sometimes at great personal sacrifice.

I was both touched and moved. If you are like me, you might have felt an urgency to provide aid, if only through prayers.

We don’t need the eveningnews to know there is suffering. We need only…

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Remarkable photos of South Carolina midwife who nursed 1950s community living in crippling poverty that inspired thousands of dollars in donations

This gripping image of Maude Callen caring for a young boy in South Carolina, 1951, was not published in LIFE

She was a ‘doctor, dietician, psychologist, bail-goer and friend’ to thousands of mostly African Americans crippled by poverty in the 1950s.

Yet tireless South Carolina nurse-midwife Maude Callen – who delivered hundreds of children, cared for the elderly and educated midwifery students in a 400-mile area ‘veined with muddy roads’ – never considered herself a hero.

W. Eugene Smith’s 20 picture-strong essay, splashed across a dozen pages in December 1951, was considered ‘one of the most extraordinary photo essays ever to appear in [LIFE] magazine.’

Safe under her watchful eye: Maude Callen attends to a woman in labor

Maude Callen handing over 17-year-old Alice Cooper’s son after a difficult…

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Crackers, cheese ball, sour cream, fresh artisan bread, bean dip fixings, and tortilla chips are all necessities for a New Year’s Eve celebration. Along with the throngs of last minute shoppers, we made our way to the local grocery store. While there, my son saw an acquaintance from his youth who had had a well-publicized tragic childhood. He walked up to him, said “Hello,” and asked how he was doing. The man’s reply was, “Not very good. I’ve had a really hard year but tomorrow is New Year’s and I get to start all over.”

Last night shortly after the clock struck midnight, my daughter suggested we try something different and all write down our New Year’s resolutions, to be placed in a time capsule not to be opened until next New Year’s Eve. Almost everyone gave her a hard time but eventually acquiesced. The little ones were most…

“In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.”Michelangelo

For most of us the answer to the question, “Who am I?” is work in progress. There are times when we are certain who we are, what we like, and what we want; and other times when it seems we have no idea at all.

It has been said that identity isn’t just about what you have done, but what you would like to experience.

Playing “Self Discovery the Michelangelo Way” is a fun game designed to help you discover who you really are. You will be given a series of choices and asked which option resonates most with you. Some will seem easy . . . black and white, while others will require careful contemplation.

Play the game each week and over timewatch how your identity takes form; like Michelangelo chipping away at a block of marble, only to reveal what he already knew was inside.

Included in the game is a polling box in which you can cast your vote and see how your answer compares with others.

Game Rules:

1. Think about each option and decide which one you identify with the most.

2. You may feel like you can identify with both, but choose the one you lean towards.

3. Feel free to think about the options in any way you like: literally, symbolically, metaphorically, preferentially, etc.

4. Claim your identity by voting in the polling box at the bottom of the page, and just for the fun of it see what others are saying.

5. Check in each week to answer the latest question that will reveal your identity.

6. Keep a written record of your responses and watch a description of yourself unfold.

Option: Play this game with your friend or partner. See how well you know each other and build your relationship by sharing aspects of your personality.

Managing stress is as much a personal responsibility as not smoking, wearing a seat belt, and not using drugs. Nobody is going to do it for us. Ignoring or enduring stress can lead to such unhappy consequences as: heart disease, diabetes, obesity, chronic headaches, sleep problems, depression and anxiety, irritable bowl syndrome, cancer, and premature aging. These problems creep up over time and can catch us off guard while we are painfully trying to “Do Our Best.” From: 7 Tips for Managing Stress 2/2/2013

I listed several ways to manage stress which included: getting enough sleep, exercising, talking with friends, avoiding looking at things with a microscope, taking a mental vacation, journaling, and the practice of mindfulness. There are many other methods for living a more peaceful life and I would love it if this blog could become a community of…

“In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.”Michelangelo

For most of us the answer to the question, “Who am I?” is work in progress. There are times when we are certain who we are, what we like, and what we want; and other times when it seems we have no idea at all.

It has been said that identity isn’t just about what you have done, but what you would like to experience.

Playing “Self Discovery the Michelangelo Way” is a fun game designed to help you discover who you really are. You will be given a series of choices and asked which option resonates most with you. Some will seem easy . . . black and white, while others will require careful contemplation.

Play the game each week and over timewatch how your identity takes form; like Michelangelo chipping away at a block of marble, only to reveal what he already knew was inside.

Included in the game is a polling box in which you can cast your vote and see how your answer compares with others.

Game Rules:

1. Think about each option and decide which one you identify with the most.

2. You may feel like you can identify with both, but choose the one you lean towards.

3. Feel free to think about the options in any way you like: literally, symbolically, metaphorically, preferentially, etc.

4. Claim your identity by voting in the polling box at the bottom of the page, and just for the fun of it see what others are saying.

5. Check in each week to answer the latest question that will reveal your identity.

6. Keep a written record of your responses and watch a description of yourself unfold.

Option: Play this game with your friend or partner. See how well you know each other and build your relationship by sharing aspects of your personality.

“In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.”Michelangelo

For most of us the answer to the question, “Who am I?” is work in progress. There are times when we are certain who we are, what we like, and what we want; and other times when it seems we have no idea at all.

It has been said that identity isn’t just about what you have done, but what you would like to experience.

Playing “Self Discovery the Michelangelo Way” is a fun game designed to help you discover who you really are. You will be given a series of choices and asked which option resonates most with you. Some will seem easy . . . black and white, while others will require careful contemplation.

Play the game each week and over timewatch how your identity takes form; like Michelangelo chipping away at a block of marble, only to reveal what he already knew was inside.

Included in the game is a polling box in which you can cast your vote and see how your answer compares with others.

Game Rules:

1. Think about each option and decide which one you identify with the most.

2. You may feel like you can identify with both, but choose the one you lean towards.

3. Feel free to think about the options in any way you like: literally, symbolically, metaphorically, preferentially, etc.

4. Claim your identity by voting in the polling box at the bottom of the page, and just for the fun of it see what others are saying.

5. Check in each week to answer the latest question that will reveal your identity.

6. Keep a written record of your responses and watch a description of yourself unfold.

Option: Play this game with your friend or partner. See how well you know each other and build your relationship by sharing aspects of your personality.